Summary: Some things, by necessity, have to be difficult and complex -- especially where the Noldor are concerned. However, even they will at times agree there is a simpler solution.

Written for the ALEC Theme of  "Simplicity Itself"  for January 2012 (before ALEC went defunct and the competition was never held):

Description: Situations and circumstances can often be as complex as we choose to make them.  January's challenge is to explore events, situations, circumstances or their answers or consequences which might seem complex or insurmountable from one perspective, but from another is "Simplicity Itself."   

 Many thanks to Fiondil and Alassiel for the beta.

Disclaimer: Playing in Tolkien’s sandbox and making no money from it.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“Well, Istadan, you are the loremaster, you tell me how we call this one. Or, well, I guess it is this two, is it not?”

“Sûlion, are you not a loremaster in your own right? I mean, Doriath did have such things did it not?”

“Yes, I am. And yes, Doriath did, however...we were not as concerned about writing things down as just remembering them.”

“However, nothing. If you had done your job properly in Doriath, then you would be in possession of these details already,” Istadan reprimanded his counterpart.

“Nelui this,  cannui that, tollui of another...” Sulion muttered,

Istadan sighed wearily. ”We are recording this officially. You need to use Quenya!”

“Why?”

“Because that is the way of the Noldor.”

“Very well then,” Sûlion amended in a huff, over enunciating each word as he restated his complaint.  “Nelesta this, canasta that, tolosta of another...are you satisfied now?”

“Yes.”

Sûlion sat in silence for a time then muttered again. ”Who did we anger so that we were given this ridiculous task?”

Istadan set down his pen. ”It is not ridiculous, and our only fault which landed us in our current predicament is that we both survived the downfalls of our respective kingdoms.”

“And as punishment, we are reduced to having to do this.”

“Pretty much, yes. But you should have done this years ago and you did not, so I have no sympathy for you.” Istadan replied.

“Noldo, Vanya, and Sinda or would you folk call it Teler in this case since the Trees were involved and the blood lines are the same between the places but the location is all that is different?”

“What did you consider it in Doriath?”

“Sinda.”

“Then you have your answer.”

“Very well.” Sûlion made a note, and then asked, “Does a Maia have lineage?”

“How should I know?”

“You are a Noldo. You know these things because they are tiny annoying details and they matter to you. Remember?”

An apple core flew across the desk, but missed its intended target.

“Just list who the Maia serves and be done with it.”

“Fine. Then what about the human aspect?”

“What about it?” Istadan looked up again very annoyed.

“Do we need to denote the percentage of the different clans as well?”

“Of course.” Then Istadan muttered under his breath. “What an idiot!”

The apple core flew back across the table and hit its intended target dead center.

“Good luck with that,” Sûlion added for good measure. ”We only have one clan of them from our side to deal with.”

Istadan pondered for a moment then swore softly in Quenya.

“Oooh, I like that one! I have learned the best cursing in Quenya since I started working with you,” Sûlion observed.

The two made notes for a while longer in slightly less hostile silence.

“So, friend,” Sûlion added a great deal of emphasis to that last word. “Now that we are finished with all of these necessary details, what would be the proper term for this one?”

“Two,” Istadan corrected.

“Very well, these two?”

They both sat in silence for a long time flipping through pages of genealogies and looking over each other’s notes.

“You know what?” Istadan finally sighed.

 “What?”

“You are correct. This is insane.”

“I have a solution,” Sûlion said triumphantly.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“What is it?”

“Let’s just call them Peredhil and be done with it.”

“Deal.”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Author's Note: This conversation had to have taken place at some point. After all, Elrond and Elros were a little bit of everything: Vanya, Noldo, Sinda, Maia, various tribes of human... LOL!

Translations:

Peredhil  - half-elves

SINDARIN:

THIRD nail, nelui

FOURTH cannui

EIGHTH tollui

QUENYA:

One Third: nelesta, neldesta, nelta, nelsat

One Fourth: canasta, casta, cansat

One Eighth: tolosta, tosta, tolsat

These are the only fractions Tolkien gives us and 'half' is per- which is an adjective prefix.